I know, it’s almost like I came back from the dead….or vacation or something. But never fear, I’m still abroad with no plans to return the States for another couple weeks. I did, however, want to offer up this giveaway and review while I am away!
{And then it will be back to my regularly scheduled radio silence. I’m not too into that whole “scheduled posts while traveling” thing. One was a stretch for me!}
A million years ago {or October}, JayBird reached out and offered to send me a free pair of their BlueBuds X wireless headphones for review. I debated because honestly, did I really need any more toys and gadgets while running? But, then I went on a run, caught my fingers in the cord of my other earbuds, and knocked my phone clean out of my hands where it fell into a trailside bush. Graceful, I am not!
So, wireless earbuds you say?!
I’ve been testing these suckers out for the past few months, wanting to ensure that I gave y’all an honest and thorough review. Right away, I knew I would have to figure out these new fancy earbuds. I mean, the initial package came with a gaggle of items including:
- The earbuds
- 3 pairs ear cushions (Sizes S, M, L)
- 3 pairs ear tips (Sizes S, M, L)
- 2 management clips for the cords
- A USB cable for charging
- A carrying case for everything
Definitely more than I was used to receiving with earbuds, and honestly, it was semi-daunting. I’m not a tech person, and the thought of having to “figure out” my earbuds was almost more than I could handle. As a result, the earbuds sat on my desk for two weeks until I felt up to the challenge!
Turns out, I didn’t need to stress too much. The charging port is tucked underneath a cap on the right earbud and it’s super easy to figure out. It took me a bit to shorten the cord with the management clips, but once I had the proper length set, it was a done deal. One of those “set it and forget it things,” you know?
Additionally, it was crazy easy to hook it up with my iPhone. A small icon on the top of your device’s screen pops up, indicating that it is now compatible with the earbuds. There is even a nice lady’s voice to walk you through whatever you need. Now, I know it sounds stupid but I kind of love when tech gadgets have voices to walk you through the steps…it almost feels like I have an assistant!
{Lame, I know.}
As for sound quality? It’s pretty top notch! I questioned whether the audio would be as amazing as my Bose earbuds, and it came close. If you don’t properly seal the earbuds with the correct ear cushions and ear tips, a lot of sound will escape and you likely won’t be impressed with these. But, if you get the right combo for your ears, the audio is pretty decent! According to Jaybird, this is due to their Shift technology that features PureSound. Apparently, PureSound filters out the white noise with an on-board filtering system.
Extra bonus? The earbuds never skipped! Granted, I’ve never used wireless earbuds before, but I guess I assumed that the connectivity would occasionally jump based on the bluetooth signal. It’s been 5+ months and I’ve worn the BlueBuds on both roads and trails with nary a gap in audio!
The downside? Aside from the $169 price tag, my one complaint about these headphones is the preparation involved. I’m not an organized individual, and there were occasions when I spontaneously grabbed the BlueBuds for a run, only to realize that they weren’t charged. Not a deal breaker, but it has definitely taken me some time to figure out a charging system.
Who wants a pair of their own?!
The giveaway will be open until April 20. I will contact the winner once I get back. Good luck!
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